The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-03
OUR COMING NAVY.
Some OF tho Features OF Secretary
'Whitney's Report.

'Whitney's Report.
Washington Special 10 tho Herald.
The forthcoming report OF the Sec.
rotary OF the Navy will refer to the
great progress made since his previous
report In building up the new navy
II Is intended that every feature pro
vided for by Congress will be amply
referred 10. For the benefit OF the
next Congress II Is understood Score.
tary Whitney will have prepared by
the bureau Of construction and re.
pairs elaborate descriptions Of every
vessel now building or the plans foI
which have been agreed upon. This
will inslude tho Eve great monitors,
the cruisers, gunboats, plans for har.
Dor defense, the srmored battle ship
and cruiser, the pneumatic dynamite
gunbost and the torpedo boat.
Very few men In public life seem 10
reallzs that there are now In process
OF building, suthoIiE ID to be built, or
nearly completed. what would make a
fleet Of over twenty vessels OF modern
type. A detailed account OF the
progress Of the work, together with a
general description Of each vessel, will
enable senators and Representatives 10
readily understand that at last a com.
prehensive plan for building q navy
worthy Of our hsg Is making rapid
progress.
In this connection naval cflicers
point with pride to the fact that not
since the war has Congress- ever shown
20 much confidence In tho Secretary
OF the Navy az II has In the present
head OF that department. Ii gave
Secretary Whitney s2,000,0O0 10 ex.
pend upon means Tor hAIbor deienses,
leaving the scope Of the plan entirely
TO his Judgment. A board is now
considering the plan 10 DO submitted
for bis approval. AZ already an.
nounced in the Herald, the probability
is that mon tors will be the main feat.
ure, 90 there are already five OF these
formidable vessels nearing comp elton.
The general plan a the defense will
include auxiliary vessels 10 operate In
conjunction with the monitors. The
appropriation Of 100000 will be ex.
pended In providing for this olass OF
defense.
LIBERAL AUTHORIZATIONS.
Bat perhaps the confidence Of Con.
gress and the country In the integrity
aud capacity Of Secretary Whitney can
be most iorcibly exsmpii6ed by brief
OF the entire bulk Of appro.
priAtions which have been made for
the incfea,e OF the navy 10 be dis.
bursed by him. The closing session
Of the Forty.eighth Congress appropri.
ated 81 O0o, 600 for cruisers aud gun.
boats; the frst session OF the Forty.
ninth appropriated IS, 900, 900 Tor two
ironclads and OIL 10000 for q large
rnarmored cruiser, and increased the
amount for the Newark from sl,l00,.
900 TO 1880. 900; also g., 500 900 10
complete the monitors, exclusive OF
armament; also $3.50. 600 for q dyns-
mite cruiser, and 100000 for q frat
class torpedo boat, The last session
Of The Fortv.ninth Congress appropri-
aled 8 i,l0000O for two nlneleea knot
cruisers aud two LOO ton gunboAtB;
"a, 900 900 toward the armament OF all
the authorised ehlpsi 5000, 900 Tor
amor, and 81 900, 900 Tor coast defense
~ above tet forth. The grand total
mp TO March 4 lest was 1900 900 In
two yeare' administration. This IN
nearly il3,650.OO0 q year, or nearly
equal 10 the largest Hmount approprl.
aled for rev cpnslrr elton during any
sing'e year o. the civil war.